Kia Motors Corporation has increased its brand value by 15% over the past year to reach the 83rd position on the exclusive list of ‘Top 100 Best Global Brands,’ according to a 2013 study released today by Interbrand, the world’s largest brand consultancy agency.

Kia first entered the ‘Top 100 Best Global Brands’ last year, coming in 87th place, but has since risen four spots to reach an estimated brand value of USD 4.7 billion. This represents a 15%, or USD 619 million, increase from last year’s estimated brand value and far exceeds the overall top 100 brands’ average value growth rate of 8.4%.

Strategic brand building activities in 2013 have included the continued roll out of “A Different Beat,” a newly developed brand identity system that embodies three core brand characteristics: vibrant, distinctive and reliable. This new brand identity system is being driven across Kia’s global network both internally and externally and has paved the way for innovative marketing initiatives such as the collaborative branded entertainment campaign with DreamWorks Animation’s “The Croods” motion picture for the global launch of the all-new Carens.

In the U.S., Kia continued its sponsorship of the MTV Music Awards and Van’s Warped Tour, in addition to major sports sponsorships such as the FIFA World Cup, Australian Open and NBA. Over the past few years the Kia brand has garnered a significant presence within the digital realm by taking an innovative communications approach in connecting with customers online. Kia has more than 250 global and local social media profiles that constitute a reach of some 1.4 billion people who are having more than 300,000 Kia-related conversations daily in the form of comments, sharing, postings and mentions.

This latest recognition by Interbrand follows hot on the heels of Kia’s recent introduction to Interbrand’s 50 Best Global Green Brands 2013, in which Kia placed 37th this past June.

The 2013 edition of Interbrand’s annual ‘Top 100 Best Global Brands’ study was executed through a comprehensive brand performance analysis using best practice research methodology by expert analysts. The study measures a corporation’s financial performance in terms of the raw financial return to investors; role that a brand plays in the actual purchase decision; and brand strength, which is the ability of a brand to secure the delivery of expected future earnings.

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Background information

Kia Motors Corporation is a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart. It was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. As part of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, Kia aims to become one of the world's premier automotive brands.More...

Kia Motors Corporation is a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart. It was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. As part of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, Kia aims to become one of the world's premier automotive brands.

Kia Motors produce over 1.5 million vehicles a year in 13 manufacturing and assembly operations in eight countries which are then sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering 172 countries.

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Since its founding in 1999, ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller has played a pivotal role in the development of the Middle East public relations industry. Through its longstanding commitment to providing innovative, results-driven communications solutions, ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller has emerged as the region's premier public relations consultancy, with a growing portfolio of blue-chip corporate and government clients.